My Nana was a stickler for tearing salad greens into uniform, “bite-size” pieces. She despised floppy leaves that slopped dressing when maneuvering unwieldy ingredients into her mouth.

Enter the modern chopped salad: They are not only neater to eat because the ingredients are cut into a uniform size and shape, they also better distribute separate flavors into a cohesive forkful.

There is a national chain called Chop’t offering long lists of customizable chopped salad greens, topping and dressings. Closer to home, Subway and trendy supermarkets offer a wide variety of chopped salads, although they can be pricey.

The Star’s Italian Chopped Salad With Pasta is a simple salad to prepare and one that the whole family will enjoy.